Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Plimmerton rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Plimmerton

Plimmerton rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Plimmerton

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Plimmerton include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.